


Holding On

by Alberta_Sunrise



Category: Narcos (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Medical Procedures, Pneumonia, Sick Character, Sickfic, Whump, javier whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alberta_Sunrise/pseuds/Alberta_Sunrise
Summary: What seemed to be a simple cold has turned into something much more serious, leaving Javier fighting for his life and Connie and Steve as his bedside. Praying that he'll make it. Will he recover? Or will the hunt for Escobar be the death of him?
Comments: 27
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that I've been working on for a little while. Hope you enjoy!

Steve’s eyes flitted between the clock and Javier’s desk. His anger growing each time that red hand made another rotation. He’d asked around the office and no one had any idea of where his partner was, all assuming he’d got drunk and slept in like usual. He’d had a cold for a few days and when Murphy wondered if it had finally gotten the better of him. He had asked if he was okay but Peña had brushed him off stating that he’d be fine in a few days. Steve had rung both his cell and his home phone several times, neither were answered. Looking at the clock and then his phone he decided to try another approach, picking up the receiver he punched in a number and waited.

‘Connie hey I need you to do me a favour.’ he said softly, fighting to hide his annoyance.

‘What’s that?

‘Javi hasn’t turned up for work. Could you check to see if his car is still in the garage?.

§

‘Yeah okay give me a few minutes and I’ll call you back.’ she replied, placing the phone down and darting down the stairs.

Her eyes peered at Javier’s door and noticed it was sat on the latch. She stopped, deciding instead to check and see if he was on his way out, walking up to the door and pushing it open.

‘Javi?’ she said loudly, knocking as she stepped in.

There was no answer and Connie’s brow knitted together as she stepped further in ‘Javier are you here?’

Still, there was nothing. Connie started making her way down the small set of steps into Javier’s lounge, her stomach dropping when she saw him sprawled on the ground. She sprinted to his side, her hands gentle shaking his shoulders in an attempt to rouse him. She winced at the heat that radiated from his skin, her ears picking up his weak raspy breathing.

‘Javier can you hear me?’ she asked again, the ER nurse in her kicking in.

The agent groaned, his face scrunching up as he slowly felt the real-world return to him. He could hear a voice, it sounded distant but he latched to it, allowing it to pull him to the surface. As he got closer to consciousness again he realised who the voice’s owner was.

‘Connie?’ he croaked.

Speaking brought on a bad bout of coughing and he doubled over on his side, shouting out at the pain that erupted in his already pained lungs.

‘Whoa easy Javi.’ said Connie as she grabbed his trembling shoulders ‘Just take slow deep breaths. In through the nose… out through the mouth.’ she finished as she guided him through it until he finally managed to get a handle on his breathing.

Connie helped him up off the floor and over to the couch, sprinting to the kitchen and getting him a glass of water before sitting down next to him and rubbing comforting circles on his back.

‘How long have you been like this Javi?’ she asked, watching him sip the water.

‘Few days.’ he replied, resting his forehead on his palm a moment ‘It’s flu. It’ll pass.’

‘I don’t think it is flu Javi.’ Connie stated, ‘I think you’ve got Pneumonia.’

She took him in, his usually tanned skin was white as a sheet and sweat beaded down his face. His breathing was strained, pain evident with each wince and shaky exhale. She grabbed the phone from the table beside her, dialling in a number before Javier grabbed her wrist.

‘Who are you calling.’

‘Ambulance.’ She stated ‘You need to go to hospital Javi.’’

‘No…’ he growled ‘No hospitals.’

‘Javi…’

‘I said no.’ he burst into another fit of coughing, quickly taking a sip of his water to try and calm them.

‘Right well I’m going to at least call Steve and let him know where you are.’ she snapped, dialling in a different number and raising the phone to her ear as she stepped into the kitchen ‘Steve it’s me. I found him, he’s at home… But he’s sick…’ she paused, her eyes drifting to Javier who was now laying down on the couch ‘He’s really sick.’

Hanging up the phone she walked back into the lounge, noticing that Javier had passed out with the glass of water still in hand. Carefully removing it from his grasp she gently laid the throw over him and sat on the couch opposite. After a while, she decided to busy herself cleaning, thought Javier wouldn’t mind if she tidied up a little whilst he slept.

‘C…con…nie.’ he exclaimed, his chest heaving as he coughed and gasped.

Connie sprinted into the dimly lit lounge, dropping to her knees at his side as the agent continued to cough and splutter as he attempted to pull in a breath.

‘What is it Javi?’

‘C-can’t b…breath.’ his eyes were wide and panic-filled, his hands clawing at the couch.

Connie grabbed his top half and pushed him into a sitting position, sliding in behind him so that he was leaning against her. Steve walked in just as she managed to get his breathing semi-under control but he then burst into another fit of coughs, his shoulders shaking. Connie placed her hand under his chin in an attempt to keep his head up, her heart hammering in her chest as the fit continued.

‘Steve, grab me a cloth from the kitchen.’ Said Connie in a panic tone as she placed her hand on Javier’s heaving chest.

She could feel his heart racing beneath her touch, his head starting to loll from side to side as he became too weak to keep it up. The lack of oxygen starting to take its toll. Steve ran to her side, handing her the cloth and watching as she placed in over his mouth as he coughed. Finally, the coughing subsided and Javier’s head weakly rolled back onto Connie’s shoulder, his fevered brow resting against her cheek as his chest heaved.

‘Steve.’ said Connie as she showed her husband the cloth, the material stained with fresh blood.

‘Shit.’ breathed Steve, chewing on his thumbnail as his eyes took in his partner’s weakened state.

‘Grab some pillows from his bed.’ she ordered, grabbing his attention ‘We need to prop him up as much as we can, it will help him breathe.’

Steve did as he was told, grabbing the pillows from Javier’s bed and placing them behind Connie before watching as she slowly stood, support Peña’s top half before lowering him down onto the cushions. Once she was sure Javier was comfortable she grabbed Steve’s arm and dragged him into the kitchen, her eyes flitting between her husband and his partner as she opened her mouth to speak.

‘Steve he needs to go to the hospital.’ she stated, her tone and expression stern as she spoke ‘He has severe Pneumonia… if he doesn’t get the correct treatment he could die!’

‘Hospitals here are dangerous. Escobar has spies everywhere. If he learns that a DEA agent is laid up in the hospital, he won't hesitate to kill him and make it look like natural causes.’ He growled.

‘Well tell that to Javi when he suffocates.’

Connie barged past her husband, returning to the lounge where she sat and monitored Javier. Steve remained in the kitchen, pondering his wife’s words. Grabbing a glass from the shelf and turning on the tap he poured himself a drink, downing it before rubbing his eyes with his palms.

‘Javi breathe!’ Said Connie suddenly, the statement making Steve’s stomach drop as he sprinted to her side.

‘What’s happening?’

‘He’s stopped breathing.’ she stated in a panicked tone ‘Help me get him on the floor.’

Together they gently lifted Javier off of the couch and laid him on the ground, Connie tilting his head back in the hope that it would open his airways.

‘You need to call an ambulance now Steve.’ she growled, her eyes flying up to him ‘Now!!’

Steve grabbed the phone and dialled the number, watching as his wife pinch his partner’s nose and blow a few rescue breath’s into his mouth.

‘Come on Javi.’ she said as she lowered her ear to his mouth ‘Breathe for me.’

She repeated the process, lowering her ear to his lips again and placing two fingers on his neck. His pulse was weak but it was still there, she knew if he didn’t start breathing soon though that would change.

‘They’re coming.’ said Steve, his voice shaking as he dropped to his wife’s side.

‘Come on Javi.’ she said again, blowing more rescue breath’s into his dormant lungs ‘Breathe dammit.’

She felt for his pulse again and her stomach dropped. Lacing her fingers together, she positioned them on his chest and she started compressions. Tears forming as she worked to bring him back.

Steve felt sick as his wife started CPR, Javier’s head lolling from side to side and she pumped his chest. How was this happening? It was just a cold! Flashing lights lit up the room and Steve darted out the door, motioning for the EMT’s to follow him as Connie continued CPR. Invisible hands pulled her away and push her to one side, her husband's strong arms wrapping around her as they watched the medics work. They intubated him and pulled out a portable defibrillator, placing the paddles on his now bare chest and shocking the agent. His back arched and his eyes flew open, choking on the tube in his mouth before passing out again. They breathed a sigh of relief as the medics shifted him onto the gurney and started to wheel him out, the couple right behind him.

‘Only one.’ stated one of the EMT’s as he held his hand up at them both.

‘Go, I’ll follow in the car.’

‘Are you sure?’ asked Connie, her eyes flitting between him and Javier in the back of the ambulance.

‘Just go.’

Connie nodded, hopping into the back and talking Javier’s hand as she watched as the Medic beside her continue to pump air into his starved lungs.

‘American?’ they asked, looking at her as they spoke.

‘Yes.’ she nodded.

§

They sat for some time waiting for news on Javier, holding each other’s hands as they anxiously watched the minutes tick away. Finally, a doctor entered and they both stood, Steve, putting his arm around his wife as the doctor spoke.

‘He is suffering from Severe Pneumonia. We think he was more susceptible due to his heavy smoking but it seems it was able to progress because he appears to be suffering from Liver damager.’ his British accent took them by surprise, glancing at each other as he continued to speak ‘We have had to intubate him as he’s not getting enough oxygen and his organs are starting to shut down. Hopefully, he will respond well to antibiotics and oxygen treatment. We’re doing all we can but you need to prepare yourselves.’

Their stomachs twisted in knots at the prognosis and they followed the doctor silently as he led them to Javier’s room. He was surrounded by different machines, wires and tubes, the most alarming one protruding from between his full lips. The doctor left them alone as they gingerly stepped towards the agent's bed, throats tightening as they took him in.

‘He said it was just a cold.’ Said Steve, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at his wife.

Neither of them knew how much time passed, they just sat there and watched the mechanical rise and fall of Peña’s chest as the ventilator breathed for him. Steve had ducked out earlier to call the office and inform them of Javier’s condition, Carrillo had ended up sending men to guard the room in order to protect Peña from any possible attacks from insiders within the hospital.

‘I can’t believe we’re here.’ said Steve suddenly, taking Connie by surprise.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean yesterday he had a bit of a cough, today he’s on death’s door.’ he paused, a mixture of emotions swirling around inside of him ‘I complain about him but he’s been working his ass off to catch Escobar. I know he’s not been sleeping enough or eating enough… Just not taking care of himself and look where it’s got him. I just wish Id seen it sooner.’

‘He was probably playing down how bad he really felt. You know what Javi is like.’

She was right. Steve did know what he was like and he scorned himself for not sending the stubborn ass home when he’d first realised Javi was sick. Now Peña was laying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life and the cards weren’t in his favour. Steve wasn’t a religious man but he prayed, prayed that his partner would survive this. 


	2. Chapter 2

Connie and Steve sat in relative silence as they watched the uniform rise and fall of Javier’s chest. It had been 12 hours since Connie had found him passed out on his lounge floor gasping for breath. The memory made her feel sick to her stomach, the feeling of him writhing in her arms as he fought to suck in air making her skin crawl. The doctors weren’t happy with his progress, his conditioning getting gradually worsening despite the copious amounts of medication they were pumping into him. The worse his partner got the more Steve started to think that Javier wasn’t going to walk out of this one, that the strain of trying to catch Escobar had finally caught up with him. Connie sat and read a magazine that Steve had fetched her from the shop whilst he buried himself in paperwork, anything to distract him from their current situation. Neither one of them knew how much time passed. The soft click of the ventilator and the constant beep of the heart monitor echoing in the silent room as the minutes ticked away into hours. Blaring alarms tore them from what they were doing. Connie glanced up to see Javier’s monitor she saw that his BP was way to fast, jumping to her feet she was at his side in the blink of an eye. 

‘Steve get help.’

‘What’s wro-’   
  
He was interrupted by his partners’ body starting to convulse violently, his teeth biting down on the tube as the tremors tore through his weakened body. 

  
‘Shit he’s seizing.’ She breathed, trying to keep his shoulders down ‘Steve now!’ 

The agent sprinted out of the room, heart in his throat as he screamed for help before running back, seeing he was being followed out of the corner of his eye. When he re-entered the room Javier was still convulsing violently, Connie sobbing as she attempted to keep his head stable. Then all too suddenly he stopped shaking, a single tone filling the air as the agent coded. They were both roughly pulled out of the way as the doctors and nurses started to work on bringing his partner back. Both glued to the spot as Javier’s body arched from each shock administered, a sickening break between each one so that a nurse could pump air into his dormant lungs. Finally, after what felt like an eternity the tone changed its tune, Connie and Steve breathing a sigh of relief as the flat line started to dance again but they were soon ushered out of the room. Pacing in the hall outside, they chewed their thumbnails nervously as they waited on news of their friend, the adrenaline of what they’d just experienced starting to wear off and the grief taking hold. When the doctor walked out of Javi’s room their pacing stopped, his expression making the couple feel sick to their stomachs as he opened his mouth to speak. 

‘He is suffering from acute Kidney failure.’ He stated bleakly, running his hand over his face ‘It’s what brought on the seizure.’ He paused, watching the couple process what he’d just told them. Shifting his weight from one leg to the other he formed his next words carefully ‘I’m not going to sugar coat this... The prognosis isn’t good. We will place him on dialysis, continue the antibiotics for the Pneumonia and keep him on the vent. I promise you that we will do everything we can for him but this is a huge setback… I’m sorry.’ 

Steve stood there in complete shock, mouth hanging agape as the seriousness of the doctor's words sunk in. Connie pulled him with her, his feet stumbling as his eyes came to rest on his partner. New tubes protruded from his already smothered form. He felt bile rising and he placed a hand over his mouth as everything seemed to hit him all at once. Connie had taken position at Peña’s side, taking his hands and allowing her tears to fall freely. 

‘This has got to be a joke.’ Spat Steve, shaking his head in disbelief as he threw his hands up ‘He had a fucking cold. That was it. A cold… You can’t go from that to kidney failure.’ 

‘Steve-‘ 

‘No this is not happening.’ He continued, pointing at his unconscious partner ‘He’s going to wake up in a minute and laugh at me… He’s not dying. He can’t be…’ He sobbed then, his whole body shaking.

Connie walked to her husband and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close as his head fell on her shoulder and he allowed his grief to flow freely. They stood there for what felt like hours in each other’s arms, swaying slightly as they came to terms with how serious Javier’s situation really was. Eventually, though they removed themselves from each other’s embrace. Connie resumed her position at Javier’s side and Steve took a seat at the other end of the room, his eyes fixed on the tube that jutted out between Javi’s lips. The hours merged into days. Steve spent every hour he could at the hospital but it made having to work easier knowing that Connie was with his partner, watching over him. 

§

3 days later…

‘He’s making excellent progress.’ The doctor stated, a genuine smile crossing his face as he spoke ‘He’s not out of the woods but I am feeling more confident that he is well on his way to recovery.’ 

‘Thank you.’ Replied Connie, nodding at the doctor before looking up at her husband. 

The last week had been hard on Steve. Initially, it had looked like Javi was making little or no progress. They’d both started to lose hope, Connie crying her heart out in the bathroom as she tried to hide her despair from her husband, but today everything had changed. His vitals started to get stronger and now as they stood in the hall just outside his room, they allowed themselves to hope.

‘His oxygen stats are improving. We are going to start weaning him off of the ventilator and switch him to a nasal cannula and his kidneys are also functioning as they should so we should be able to take him off dialysis. Continued the doctor, eyes flitting between the couple ‘He’s taken a positive turn but his fever is still persistent. We will need to keep monitoring that, it's not gotten any worse but it hasn't improved either. That's my main concern now.’ He finished.

They both thanked him again before he left, leaving them to make their way back into Javi’s room. There were fewer tubes and wires now. His skin tone was starting to return to its usual golden tone, the black bags under his eyes no longer as prominent. Steve knew he needed to head into the office but part of him didn’t want to in case Javier took a turn again after he left. He knew it was unreasonable but after everything that had happened, he couldn’t help but worry that something could go wrong. People in the office were relieved to learn that the agent was making progress finally, they had all been shocked when they'd initially learned he had been taken seriously ill. Connie eventually managed to convince him that it would be okay to go, promising that she wouldn’t leave his side until he returned and so after a little more arguing he left, ordering his wife to call him if anything changed. She called him when they’d taken him off of the vent and he’d taken a few shaky breaths on his own, practically sobbing when she told him that he only required a nasal cannula now to assist with his breathing and he was no longer on dialysis. She sat at his side and watched each breath he took with a small sense of pride in him, he was fighting finally when it had looked for a moment like he’d truly given up. Things were finally starting to look up. 

Until they weren’t. 

When the nurse came to check on him, her brow knitted together as she felt the heat that radiated from his skin, turning to look at Connie who was napping soundly on the armchair in the corner. The doctor came by a few minutes later, the sound of hushed voices waking Mrs Murphy from her slumber. She awoke to see them fussing over Javi and her stomach immediately dropped. 

‘What’s going on?’ She asked, pushing herself to her feet and making her way to the foot of his bed. 

‘His fever's getting worse.’ Stated the Doctor, giving her a grim look before grabbing the chart in front of her. 

‘What?… How?’ She questions but she knew it could be caused by a number of things. 

‘I don’t know.’ He replied, shaking his head as he finished his notes and replaced the chart ‘He’s responded well to oxygen treatment but it appears the infection itself is not responding to the antibiotics. We will do all we can to get the fever down but this is dangerous territory, as you well know Mrs Murphy.’ 

Once he and the nurse were finished she was left alone with Javier again, her stomach sinking as she took his hand and look down at him, noticing the thin layer of sweat on his skin. She couldn’t believe that within the span of a few hours he went from getting better… to getting worse. She called Steve and told him the latest revelation, he was at the hospital within the hour and pacing the small room as Connie continued to hold the sick agent's hand. That night was a long one, his fever steadily climbing and by morning it was at 106. Connie knew how dangerous that was. If they didn’t get his fever down soon he could start to suffer from seizures... or worse. 

‘Come on Javi don’t do this.’ She pleaded, sat with her elbows resting on the bed as she watched him shake ‘You can’t clock out on us now.’ 

Steve couldn’t stop the sob that escaped his lips as he listened to his wife talk to his partner, his stomach twisting painfully as he watched them both. He was still hoping that this was all just a shitty dream. That he’d open his eyes and find that Javier was healthy and hungover like he was most days but he knew that that was not going to be the case. No matter how much he willed it. 

‘Javi?’ Asked Connie as she noticed his body go rigid ‘No… no no no shit…’ 

‘What?’

She didn’t need to answer as Javier started to convulse violently, alarms blaring and Steve stood there frozen to the spot. Connie knew she had to keep her shit together. Shouting at Steve to get help, she watched the clock and started to time how long the seizure was, her hand holding Javier’s as she watched the red second-hand tick round. Invisible hands pulled her away from him and she looked up to see his doctor and nurses swarm him. 

‘He’s been seizing for 2 minutes.’ She states, the doctor nodding at her as they wait for the agent’s convulsions to stop. 

It was another minute before it passed, his body going limp as blood trickled passed his partially parted lips. 

‘He’s bitten his tongue.’ Exclaimed the doctor as he opened Peña’s mouth to find the source. 

Connie and Steve watched him and the nurses finish their work before the doctor came to stand in front of them, his expression making their blood go cold. 

‘His fever has spiked to 106.1.’ He started, glancing between them both ‘I’m going, to be honest with you. This is not good. His fever is making no signs of breaking.’

‘What are you saying Doc? What are we looking at?’ 

‘Possible organ damage, brain damage…’ He replies, glancing back at the agent.

‘What’s the worst-case scenario?’

The doctor looked back at Steve and then at Connie, pulling his lips into a thin line as he prepared himself for the word he so dreaded. 

‘Death.’ He replied plainly ‘He could die.’ 

Alarms blaring dragged them all back to earth with a crash, turning their heads to see Javier convulsing on the bed again which lead Steve to throw up all over the wall beside him. Connie held his shoulders as he heaved, hand bracing the wall as he fought to stay on his feet. She rubbed his back gently as she watched him pull himself together, glancing up at his partner who was once again limp in his bed surrounded by the medical staff once more. That was two grand mal seizures in less than ten minutes. She knew that things for him were critical now and if his fever didn’t start to lower soon, he wasn’t going to make it much longer. She tended his fever, dabbing his sweat-slick skin with the cloth that had been provided by the nurses as Steve watched her, his stomach twisting so painfully he feared he’d throw up again. He knew that Peña’s chances of survival were plummeting with every hour that passed so he decided that he had to do something, anything to try and save him.

‘I’m going to try and find some decent coffee Con. Can't take another cup of that machine sludge.’ 

‘Okay.’ She replied, nodding as she watched him leave. 

She stared at the empty doorway for a while, feeling tears start to form on her bottom lids as she allowed herself to succumb to her emotions. 

‘Javi you have to fight now.’ She begs, turning her head to look at him and taking his hand firmly in hers ‘Just keep breathing and fight... Please.’ 

Meanwhile, Steve had found what he had really been looking for, the hospitals small chapel. There were a few people in there, dotted about the room on uncomfortable chairs. Steve took a seat and bowed his head, saying a prayed under his breath for his partner, pleading to anyone that was listening to let Javier live. He returned to his partner’s room a little while later with two coffees from the cafe and some pastries in a paper bag, placing them on the table beside Javier’s bed and placing a soft kiss on his wife's temple. 

‘How is he?’ 

‘His fever has gone down a little.’ She replied ‘But not enough.’ She paused, looking up at her husband with bloodshot eyes ‘I need to go to the bathroom, I’ll be back.’ 

She left swiftly, leaving Steve alone with his partner. He took a few ginger steps towards him, placing his hand on top of Javi’s and taking in a shaky breath. 

‘I prayed for you.’ He started, wiping the stray tear that escaped his eye with the back of his free hand ‘You’re scaring me now brother. Please… please don’t give up on me now.’ He continues, letting out a small sob as he gives his hand a small squeeze ‘We still have so much to do. You can’t die on me now man.’ He pauses, letting out another shaky breath ‘Please brother… Please.’ 


End file.
